"Because this kind of thing isn't something I can teach you. It's your family's business," Kasenhis said, pointing at himself. "If you're truly dissatisfied with something your family's doing, then it's you who should push back—not bring in some so-called outsider to give you advice."
"After all, how does that saying go? Family can fight amongst themselves, but the moment an outsider gets involved, things escalate. Next thing you know, your dad's gonna hit me with an Avada."
Flynn pursed his lips. "I promise that won't happen."
"I was giving an example."
"Right, Professor… so I still need to get a job?"
Kasenhis looked up at the sky. "You could always ask Elsa to keep you as her sugar baby."
"…Eh! That could work too!"
Kasenhis's smile froze for a second. "Uh… okay. But seriously… you're not planning to find a job on your own?"
"If my dad really wants to get in the way, who'd dare hire me? Or… Professor, are you in need of a teaching assistant or something?" Flynn asked.
"Nope. Don't need one. Definitely not necessary…"
"Emmm... Professor, do you think a fully automated alchemy workshop is doable?"
Kasenhis raised an eyebrow. "Fully automated... Actually, Muggles are way ahead of wizards when it comes to automation tech—like, on a whole other level. But since most alchemical materials emit magical radiation, they tend to wreck Muggle machinery, so full automation isn't exactly easy."
As he spoke, he pieced together a small gear out of wooden tiles in his hands. "Unless you're willing to ditch Muggle electrical and digital tech entirely and go all in on old-school mechanics, like power transmission..."
"..."
"Professor? Why'd you stop talking?" Flynn asked, puzzled.
Kasenhis didn't respond right away. He was staring at his system, which had suddenly come back to life after being dormant for ages.
[Mechanical Power Module 'I Reckon' Version Unlocked Successfully.]
"Professor?"
Kasenhis snapped back to attention. "Weren't you interested in learning automation?"
Flynn nodded eagerly.
"Then study hard next semester," Kasenhis said, barely able to keep from laughing as he patted Flynn on the shoulder. "Anything else?"
Flynn shook his head. "Professor, I know all geniuses have their quirks, but yours is kind of terrifying. I don't even dare to bring anything up anymore. I'm gonna bounce—bye!"
He shot out of the office like he had a motor installed—thunk thunk thunk—and vanished down the corridor.
Meanwhile, Kasenhis picked up the gear in his hand… stuck a pencil through the hole in the middle, then poured a bottle of water over it… and absolutely nothing happened.
"…I figured it could work like a waterwheel."
Just as he finished speaking, the gear—no, the miniature waterwheel—started spinning.
"What the hell?!"
Only now did Kasenhis finally understand what the system meant by "Mechanical Power – I Reckon Edition." Turns out, he didn't need to spend his vacation going back to uni for a degree in engineering—he just needed enough imagination.
This mechanical power system could very well fill the void left by the magical world's lack of large-scale machinery.
Anything that relied on complex electrical circuits got jammed up by ambient magic—but this type of purely mechanical, power-transmission-based motion? It didn't care about any of that nonsense.
What's more, the timing couldn't have been better—Flynn had just mentioned the magical world's lack of automation, and boom, here comes Mechanical Power. And it wasn't just for automation.
So I just thought and got a mod based on my thinking?
Thanks to the compatibility between his MC system's logic and magical energy, he could even use mana as the power source.
Calling it the magical world's first industrial revolution wouldn't be an exaggeration.
"I'm freaking brilliant!"
…
Rumble... rumble...
In the Headmaster's office, Dumbledore was happily making himself a nice cup of milk tea. Just as he was waiting for it to cool down so he could take a sip, he suddenly felt a strange tremor shake through Hogwarts.
And as for the source of that tremor... well, he could figure that out with his knees if needed.
Instinctively, he tried to Apparate — and failed.
Clearly, Kasenhis's office was now blocked off from Apparition.
"Sigh... My poor old bones..." Dumbledore muttered, settling for Apparating to just outside the office door. When he arrived, he found a crowd of curious little witches and wizards already gathered, along with a few professors who had come to watch the fun.
Stepping inside the office, he was greeted by the sight of the Sky-Piercing Dragon Cannon—previously masquerading as the chandelier—now hoisted up by a massive mechanical arm rooted from the floor.
The floor-to-ceiling windows had been lowered to form a massive launch platform, where people stood watching the Sky-Piercing Dragon Cannon being extended out of the office.
"So quiet lately... I knew something was up," Dumbledore mumbled, his curiosity piqued as he examined the enormous arm made entirely of pistons and gears.
He couldn't quite wrap his head around how such a purely physical structure could support so much weight and function so precisely.
Even more baffling was how the whole contraption seemed completely non-magical—if anything, it looked downright scientific.
Soon enough, the mechanical arm finished its trial run, and Kasenhis calmly retracted the Sky-Piercing Dragon Cannon back to its spot on the ceiling.
Then, with the air of a man who'd just microwaved popcorn for the crowd, he waved off the gawking students.
"Oh, does this ...really count as ..alchemy?" Dumbledore walked over to Kasenhis, eyeing the massive control panel in front of them, which was crammed with countless miniature levers and buttons.
"Albus, you don't recognize it?" Professor McGonagall asked curiously. In her eyes, there was nothing Dumbledore didn't know—alchemy included.
"Ah… alchemy… I'm not particularly good at it… really," Dumbledore said, a bit embarrassed, his old face flushing red.
"Well… I suppose that makes sense. The old must make way for the young," Professor McGonagall nodded thoughtfully.
"So Kasenhis, I think now's a good time for you to explain—what exactly is this new kind of alchemy you're working on?"
"It sort of counts, I guess. Have you ever been to any of the Muggles' mechanized, automated factories? I mean, we can't have Muggles running full automation while wizards are still playing with handcraft workshops, right? We have to keep up!" Kasenhis said, restoring the office to its original state as he explained.
"...I feel like you're hiding something from me," Dumbledore said, eyeing him suspiciously.
"...I can probably figure out a way to make Hogwarts stand up!" Kasenhis said after a pause.
Dumbledore: "...."
The other professors: "..."
Professor McGonagall: "(★ ω ★)Wait, what?!"
_________
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